On the Path of Becoming Stronger
by mutant.myth
Summary: A collection of stories as Hotaru embarks on the path of becoming stronger. Post manga, with minor spoilers. The dead might be resurrected for comedic purposes. Chapter 3 Up: Shinrei.
1. Yuan

A/N: Takes place postmanga, with some minor SPOILERS!

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"Come on, Yunyun, fight me for real!", Hotaru swiped at Yuan with his sword.

Yuan dodged cleverly to the side, while trying to protect the apple in his hand.

"Come on, boy, gimme a break here!" Yuan ducked again as Hotaru lunged at him. "I'm way too busy to spar with you." He turned away as he mumbled, "and I already told you not to call me that. Call me Yuan, your Invincible Sensei!"

Hotaru answered with a quick slash, "And I've already told you, you're not my sensei!" Another swipe with the sword. "And don't you dare change the subject!"

_Dammit, it didn't work, _thought Yuan. He took a bite out of his apple and tried desperately to think of a way to avert his ex-student's anger.

"I can't believe you were holding out on me like that!" Hotaru leapt in front of Yuan as Yuan tried to run away. "After all that talk of fighting to the death," followed by another attack, "you didn't even use your best techniques! Was I not _good enough_ for you to use your best attacks on? Huh? How dare you insult me like that!"

Yuan blocked Hotaru's sword, and stuck his tongue out in appeasement. "I already told you, I got too caught up in the heat of the moment. Besides, sparring with my bare hands and feet is so much more fun!"

Hotaru returned with another cut, "And that's your excuse?" His eyes were getting redder by the minute…particularly his right eye.

Yuan noticed, to his consternation. "H-Hold…hold on, Hotaru, j-just a minute here….calm down, will ya? It's so close to dinner time, a-and you know that Anna is going to yell at us if we're late…"

At the mention of food, the force of Hotaru's attacks seemed to have lessened. He appeared to be thinking this over, and not really paying attention to fighting Yuan.

Renewed hope kindled within Yuan. He has never felt so grateful to Anna. Maybe…. 

"Oh yeah….. dinner time, is it?" Hotaru looked up at the weathered clock on the back wall of the dojo. "I'm getting hungry…" He rubs his stomach absently.

Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. Trouble was diverted, at least for the day. He approached Hotaru, and placed an arm companionably around Hotaru's shoulder, fully intending to lead Hotaru back to his house.

"Come on, let's go together…Anna will surely be waiting for us…" Hotaru put up no resistance, and the master and student started towards the exit of the dojo.

They managed to walk a full two steps.

"Ma'oh-en!" Hotaru announced.

Flames engulfed Yuan, who leapt away from Hotaru, and tried frantically to extinguish the flames on himself.

Coughing and wheezing at the hot flames, Yuan panted, "Geez, Hotaru! What did you do that for?"

Hotaru advanced menacingly toward Yuan, "That trick won't work on me again! You are **NOT** going to distract me from exacting the fight I deserve from you!"

Yuan failed to look repentant. "Hey, it was worth a shot." _I guess after 143 times of using the same excuse, it's about time Hotaru catches on._ He ducked his head. "Why are you being so stubborn all of a sudden? It's not like you to get so worked up over something so small…AHHH….."

Hotaru kindled the flames around his double-sided sword, and continued his attacks on Yuan.

"Small? Just a small thing, is it?" Clearly, that was the wrong thing to say. "You think you can save your best techniques for Hishigi? And not give me a chance? Is that what you think of me? You're going to pay for that!"

Yuan dodged another strike from Hotaru, and rolled away from the smattering of flames that are now engulfing the dojo. _At this rate, there won't BE a dojo left… I gotta think of something…. _Yuan looks around for some inspiration to strike.

Meanwhile, Hotaru is getting more and more frustrated. "How am I supposed to get stronger if you won't fight me for real? I still have Kyo to beat too." The list of people to fight grew long, and Hotaru is rather impatient to get started.

_There is no help for it, _thought Yuan, _I will have to fight. Although he is my favourite student, although he is like family, he is going to keep harassing me until I give in._

"You're really not going to give up, are you, Hotaru?" Yuan sighed, while sidestepping nimbly from a stream of fiery stream emanating from Hotaru's sword. "That's just like you, Hotaru. I have never seen you so intense about anything in life, except fighting. You know, you can do so much with that intensity of yours, if you weren't so focused on only battling people."

"Shut up, you! You're starting to sound like Shinrei," grumbled Hotaru, and slashed at Yuan, "All you guys talk way too much. Just shut up and fight me for real!"

Yuan turned to the side, and said, "Looks like you aren't going to give up…. Alright, alright! I'll give you that fight you so desperately want. But don't complain if you don't get to live through it!"

A slight smile showed on Hotaru's poker face. "Finally!"

"But no flames, Hotaru. I don't want my dojo to burn down again." Yuan stipulated the conditions of the fight.

"Yeah yeah, fine, fine," Hotaru tossed a sword at Yuan, "As long as you fight me seriously, I'll do whatever you want."

_There is really no help for it. If I don't do this, Hotaru will never quit. _Yuan stood off to one side, and gestured for Hotaru to attack. _Desperate times calls for desperate measures._

With a few quick slashes, Hotaru charged at Yuan.

So the fight begins.

Yuan lifted his sword with his right arm and blocked Hotaru's attack, while simultaneously extending his left arm.

And used his Illusionary Eye on Hotaru.

"Whaa….." a brief exclamation escaped from Hotaru.

Hotaru starts sparring against an unknown opponent, and starts moving around, but away from Yuan, as if seeing and fighting an invisible opponent.

"There, that should hold him for a while," Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and turned away, fully intending on enjoying the rest of his apple. He looked puzzled for a second. "Although, people don't usually move around when under my Eye. I guess I should expect this from a member of the Goyousei, and from my own student, to be able to resist the physical impediments that should be brought on by it. ….Hmm, oh well."

Yuan shrugged and strolled away, and started walking back to his house. Another disaster averted for the day.

"A guy can never fully enjoy a moment of peace around here," he mumbled under his breath as he continued down the dark hall, "Especially with that pigheaded Hotaru around."

_10 minutes later_

"Yo, Anthony, pass the soy sauce, will ya?" Yuan called out, while stuffing his face full of rice. He never heard the door slam open behind him.

"Yuan, youuuuuuuu!"

A black flame came up around Yuan, and enveloped him, chopsticks and all.

"Ack! Hotaru!"

A red-faced Hotaru appeared before Yuan. He gripped his sword in hand, fully intending to cut Yuan down where he sat.

"H-H-How did you escape from my Illusionary Eye so soon?" A very crisp Yuan stammered in front of a furious Hotaru. Hotaru's right eye is glowing red like never before. He swung his sword forward…

Anna launched a bucket at Hotaru, which, as usual, had perfect aim. It slammed into Hotaru's head, and knocked him over. "I've said countless times before, Hotaru! **NO FIGHTING AT THE TABLE!**"

A few tense moments later, a disgruntled, but visibly calmer Hotaru appeared from underneath the table. "I'll get you for this later, Yuan," he shot a murderous glare at Yuan, and picked up his rice bowl and chopsticks.

Normal conversation resumed at the table, although a mite subdued due to the lingering smoke that permeated the small dining room.

Kirian mumbled to Erian, "Darn, no more sashimi tonight."

Erian replied, "Well, just think of it as smoked salmon…"

Both tried very hard not to laugh at Hotaru's disgruntled face.

Anjelica asked in concern, "What happened to you, Hotaru?"

"I crashed into the wall," Hotaru rubbed the bump on his forehead in disgust. "I can't believe I fell for that cheap trick of yours again, Yuan…You wait. I'm gonna get you for this."

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Notes:

I don't know what the real translation is. For those of you who don't know, Yuan had a tattoo on the back of his left hand. When used on the enemy, he is able to cause them to see any type of illusions he chooses.

What do you guys think? Hope the ending was not disappointing... :)


	2. Yuan II

**Yuan II **

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Yuan burst through the door of his house. 

"Quick, give me some food!"

It was around dinnertime, and Yuan's family has gathered around the table to eat. The corner where Hotaru usually sits at is strangely vacant.

"Oh hey, Yuan! Long time no see!" gushed Anjelica, "Where have you been?"

Wolfing down the food as fast as possible, Yuan said with a full mouth, "I've been living with Dad, and the food there is crap. How I've missed your cooking, Anna!" Yuan stuffed his mouth full of food, with a heavenly expression on his face.

Obviously pleased, Anna said, "Well, why haven't you been home all this time? It must have been a month since you last came home! We were beginning to get worried about you."

Gulping down his food, Yuan said tiredly, "Isn't it obvious? Hotaru's still after me for a fight, and I'm trying to avoid him as much as possible. It's kinda hard to avoid him if I come home now, wouldn't it? Especially since he practically lives here now…."

Yuan grumbled to himself as he stuffed more rice in his mouth, "What kind of sensei gets displaced **in his own home **by his pupil? Damn that Hotaru."

Anjelica looked at the clock thoughtfully. "Hmm, that's strange. Hotaru usually comes home around this time. I wonder where he went."

"He WAS coming home," sighed Yuan as he scarfed down more food, "I had the bad luck of bumping into him."

A collective gasp echoed around the table. "So what happened? Did he try to fight you again?"

Yuan rolled his eyes at Kirian, who asked the question. "What do you think? Of course that idiot started hacking away at me again, trying to get me to fight!" Yuan slurped loudly as he downed his soup.

Everyone leaned in closer. "So what happened?" Kirian asked.

Yuan wolfed down more food while asking for more rice. "Well, I had to fight him, you know. That bastard's so persistent."

A louder gasp resonated throughout the room.

"No…." Erian said.

"You wouldn't have…." Anjelica wailed.

"You don't mean….." Kirian gasped.

"You used it again, didn't you?" Anna inquired.

Yuan said between mouthfuls, "Hey you guys, don't look that way! I had to! If I don't use the Illusionary Eye on him, I can never escape so quickly."

"Honestly, Yuan, that trick's getting old," Anna said gravely, "One of these days, it's not going to work anymore."

"Yeah, I know," gulped Yuan, "But against that mindless idiot, it still has a few more uses." A look of glee crossed Yuan's face.

Yuan eyed the clock, and the loud clicking of chopsticks against his bowl accelerated. "I simply couldn't live with the fare I had for the last month… I need some decent food! And my Eye won't last for very long, so I gotta hurry up and finish before……"

A loud crash came from outside the Yuan house.

"Uh oh……"

"You're gonna get it this time, Yuan," Kirian said in warning.

"Huh?" Erian gasped.

"Ehh?" Yuan simply stared at the sight in front of him.

A very angry Fubuki burst through the door carrying a black bundle in one hand, and dragging a very wet Hotaru with the other. He threw Hotaru onto the floor in front of the shocked Yuan.

"Yuan, you need to instruct your pupils properly!" Fubuki raged, "Look what Keikoku did to my poor kitty!"

Yuan looked closely at the black bundle Fubuki was carrying, which suddenly moved. A pair of bright yellow eyes appeared, and emitted a very pitiful mew. Yuan recoiled away from the bundle.

"Ack, it's a cat!" Yuan leaned a bit closer, "Is it a cat?"

His puzzlement is well-grounded. The cat is missing large patches of its fur, and is engulfed in a cloud of black smoke. Its whiskers are mostly gone, and its tail seemed to glow from some embers that remained from a very recent fire.

Yuan stammered, feeling a bit guilty for indirectly causing the poor cat's distress. "Look, uh… yeah, sorry about that…I a-apologize on the behalf of Keikoku for…"

Fubuki cut him off abruptly, "An apology is not enough! Look at the suffering he caused! I demand that you punish Keikoku for this, so that he never does this again!"

Fubuki looked expectantly at Yuan.

Yuan nodded obediently, "Yes, yes, I will do that."

Fubuki still looked expectantly at Yuan.

"Whaaa, you mean right now?" Yuan looked at the inert, drenched Hotaru that was lying facedown on his dining room floor. "But it seems you've already punished him enough, doesn't it, Fubuki?"

"Enough? How can this be enough? I brought him back here for you to finish him off! How can this be enough punishment for my…"

"Yeah, yeah, ok, ok, I get it," even Yuan can get sick of listening to the same tirade every time. He thought desperately of how to appease Fubuki's anger, while preserving his ex-student's life. He launched a serious kick at Hotaru's midsection, who barely moved. He muttered in a strong, serious voice.

"Keikoku, what do you have to say for yourself?"

_Apologize, Hotaru_, Yuan pleaded silently. _Maybe if Hotaru apologizes, Fubuki will calm down a bit, and will spare his life._

A while later, Hotaru said in a very disgruntled voice.

"…………"

"…………I hate water."

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What do you guys think? I welcome any comments, criticisms, snide remarks. :D 

Thanks for reading! Please review if you have time. :)


	3. Shinrei

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Sorry for the long hiatus between updates. I wonder if people still read this? If you do, please review if you can! I think eventually, I'll actually be moving the story along in a more serious manner. But let me know what you think!

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Shinrei wonders, for the millionth time, how he can possibly share any single DNA sequence with the existence known as Keikoku. Or rather, he goes by Hotaru now. There is just no way he can share a drop of blood with that idiot.

Maybe his father was mistaken. Maybe his concubine had another man on the side. Perhaps Hotaru's father was someone else. Like Julian, for instance. That would actually explain a lot. Their weird way of talking…..it would also explain Hotaru's closeness with Yuan's family.

Or perhaps, when his father's concubine gave birth that day, the baby was switched with another that is born on the same day. Hmm, let's see, who else was born around that day? Shinrei wracked his brain, but came up empty. After all, the people of the Mibu are practically immortal. No one keeps track of their age anymore, let alone their birthdays. Furthermore, some people chose to halt their aging process, so they appear way younger than they really are. Take Tokito for instance, Shinrei mused. For all we know, Tokito can be the same age as Hotaru. Shinrei ponders this in grave seriousness. He mentally calculated the likelihood of being related to Tokito, instead of Hotaru. He shuddered, and shakes his head in disgust. Being related to Tokito seemed to be an even worse fate than being related to Hotaru, although not by much. Having an idiot for a brother is one thing, but having a crazy, emotionally unstable can of dynamite for a sibling is quite another thing indeed.

… But at times…..

Shinrei surveys the scene in front of him with apprehension. The Mibu courtyard is as beautiful and pristine as ever, but today, its beauty is marred with a statue that looks strangely out of place.

"What the…" Shinrei couldn't help the exclamation that escaped him, "Keikoku?!"

For in front of him, there was an immobile Keikoku, doing a handstand in the middle of the courtyard, with his legs in a lotus position. His weight is balanced on one hand, while the other hand is outstretched, holding a sake glass, fill with some sort of clear liquid. Keikoku's face appeared to be turning a deep shade of crimson.

Shinrei tamps down his mirth of seeing Keikoku in such a ridiculous position, and asked with a disapproving tone in his voice, "What in the world are you doing now, Keikoku??"

Hotaru remained silent, barely sparing Shinrei a glance.

"Well? Aren't you listening to me, Keikoku? Such a bad habit of yours, never listening to other when they're…"

"Go. Away." A raspy whisper emanated from Hotaru, although his lips remained perfectly still.

Frustrated, Shinrei continued yelling, "I demand an explanation for this ridiculous pose of yours. Why can't you do something useful for a change? You are always like this, doing meaningless…."

Again, Hotaru cuts him off with a growl, "Must. Get. Stronger."

"What?" After being so rudely cut off from his tirade, Shinrei took a couple of deep breaths in order to calm himself down.

_Hmm, finally, we are getting down to the point of this exercise, _Shinrei thought. He walked around and circled the statue that is Hotaru, with a thoughtful look in his eyes. Hotaru remained silent and still, although his face deepened in colour.

"How are you trying to get stronger by posing like this?? Do you know how ridiculous you look? If you want to get stronger, you must go train, not do something as stupid as like making yourself an eyesore in the middle of the…."

Shinrei raised a leg and attempted to kick Hotaru over, but, to his surprise, Hotaru dodged it by pushing himself off the ground, and moved himself over by a few inches to escape the blow. Surprisingly, not a drop spilled from the sake glass. This shift seemed to be quite taxing, as the colour of his face is now closer to a violent shade of purple.

Shinrei seemed to be taken aback at Hotaru's strange ability to dodge his kick.

"Must. Stay. Like. This. Birds. Sake." Hotaru uttered a very stilted and unintelligible phrase.

Shinrei struggled to understand the meaning behind Hotaru's words. "What are you talking about? What birds? And what do they have to do with sake?"

Hotaru eyed Shinrei. "You. Stupid?"

Enraged, Shinrei burst out with, "Who're you calling stupid?? I'm not the one upside down with a sake glass in my hand, waiting for birds!!"

Shinrei fell silent, thinking it over. "Hmm, so you're waiting for birds to come to you, to drink the sake from the glass in your hand?"

Hotaru grunted, as if in consent.

For a full five minutes, Shinrei could not utter a single word for the life of him. Intense laughter seems to do that to a person.

"……uhhh, my stomach…." The first words Shinrei managed to get out after laughing so hard.

"You're serious? Who told you to do this?" He had to ask, but he had a pretty good idea of the culprit behind this.

"Is it Yuan?"

After a period of silence, Hotaru grunted again in consent.

After another tense moment, Hotaru uncoiled himself from his pose, and righted himself into a cross-legged position.

"I should've known it was a trick. It sounded too easy," mumbled Hotaru, holding his head as if in pain.

Shinrei continued his laughter, but managed to get out a question, "So why do you think you can get stronger from that pose?"

Without lifting his head from his hands, Hotaru continued his low grumbling, "Yuan said he'll fight me seriously if I can get a bird to come and drink from the sake glass while doing an upside-down lotus pose."

This triggered another burst of laughter from Shinrei. Hotaru just stared murderously at the prone figure of Shinrei that was rolling around from laughter, as it is all he can manage at that point. "Give it a rest, will ya? My head is splitting in two…"

After a valiant effort, Shinrei contained his laughter, and was able to speak normally. "Keikoku, barring the very low probability of a bird actually believing you are a statue, and it mistaking the sake for water, I need to ask you one question."

Hotaru just stared at Shinrei.

Shinrei gestured at the 50 acres of paved surface and buildings around the two.

"Have you ever, EVER, seen a bird in this part of Mibu land?" Shinrei asked.

Shinrei watched as the disgruntled expression on Hotaru's face turn into absolute rage, and could control his laughter no more. Shinrei got up, and continued on his way past Hotaru, with laughter trailing behind him.

Some days, it was good to have a clueless idiot for a brother.


End file.
